GottaBook

Lazy Sunday - a weekend poem/a perspective poem

2012-02-12T00:04:00.000-08:00

Lazy Sunday
by
Greg Pincus

Lazy Sunday!
Sleep til 10.
Close my eyes
Then sleep again.

Wake and shoot some hoops with Dad.
Finish homework (not so bad!).

Watch TV.
Find food to eat.
Ride my skateboard on my street.

A soccer game down at the park?
Play with friends until it’s dark.

Do my chores.
Read and play.
Then sleep.
I love a lazy day!

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My Dad's a Hippopotamus (a poetry re-issue)

2012-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

MY DAD’S A HIPPOPOTAMUS
by
Greg Pincus

My dad’s a hippopotamus.
He’s dad to quite a lot of us.
You think that’s strange? I don’t know why,
Since we’re all hippopotami.

We’re friends with a rhinoceros,
Who I think looks preposterous.
I’m glad that I don’t spend time bein’
Something so rhinocerian.

We live next to a crocodile.
He’s over there on his own isle.
He’s got big bumps on each short limb.
I’m glad that I don’t look like him.

We also know a chimpanzee,
The strangest creature that you’ll see.
Those gangly arms look out of place,
And I would never want his face.

Right nearby’s an ocelot.
He likes to mew and roar a lot.
With spots and splotches hard to miss,
I think he looks ridiculous.

But there’s one creature that we see
That’s most absurd. We all agree.
It comes to visit at our zoo.
And... oh... how sad! It looks like you.

For reasons unknown to me, this poem has been stuck in my head lately. I figured that was a good reason to re-post it (it first appeared here in April of 2008) You can see what else folks are up to if you head on over to the Poetry Friday roundup (hosted by Laura Purdie Salas).

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Speak Up! - a Skeltonic verse

2012-02-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

Speak Up! – a Skeltonic verse
by
Greg Pincus

When you speak,
Be unique.
Be offbeat.
Don’t repeat
Every tweet
From the street.
Use your brain
For your gain.
Read the news.
Hear more views.
Take a look
At a book
On your shelf.
Then think for yourself.
If you do
Think things through,
And then you
Make the choice
To use your voice,
Stay undeterred
And every word
Will be heard.

Once again I was inspired by the poetry prompt at The Miss Rumphius Effect, this time leading me to write my first ever Skeltonic verse. Or at least the first time I've known I was writing one, as it was a form I'd never encountered by name before. I do like experimenting with forms, though I admit it takes a prompt to get me there more often than not. (Thanks, Tricia!)

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#kidlitchat on Tuesday, February 7th - all about self-publishing

2012-02-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night, at 9 PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific, #kidlitchat (on Twitter) will be all about self-publishing (with a focus on the children's book world, of course). Is YA the only viable path? Do board books work? How much work is it? Why should I or shouldn't I self-publish?

Those are just a few of the areas we expect to come up. Last time we had a similarly themed chat, it was very high quality and very respectful. We expect the same this time, so I do hope you join us.

If you're new to Twitter chats, please check out this info from Debbie Ridpath Ohi so you can dive in tomorrow night. And I'll see you there!

Seeing Football - a sports poem/a poem about imagination

2012-02-05T01:02:00.000-08:00

Seeing Football
by
Greg Pincus

A football game is on TV -
Fans watching, cheering, screaming.
But I’m not tuning in like that:
I’m thinking, drifting, dreaming.

I see myself out on the field
With toughness, savvy, skills.
I’ll take the whole crowd’s breath away…
Cause goose bumps, sore throats, thrills.

I’m linebacker. I’m running back.
I’m safety, tight end, guard.
I play my heart out, fighting for
Each inch, each foot, each yard.

I’m quarterback. I’m cornerback.
I’m center, punter, kicker.
I catch the ball. Defenders chase!
I’m faster, sharper, quicker.

You watch the screen. I’m playing hard.
I’m jumping, diving, scoring!
Compared to what’s inside my head
That TV game is boring.

It's Super Sunday here in the States, so if you, like me, are watching the game, I do hope you enjoy that game and that it's anything but boring!

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A Book for Me - a poem about books

2012-02-03T00:14:00.000-08:00

A Book for Me
by
Greg Pincus

When what’s there on the page
Lets me feel someone’s rage,
Or the joy in the words
Makes me fly with the birds,
Or something I’ve read
Gets me out of my head,
Or the story on view
Helps me see something new,
Or the book sets me free...
It’s a book that’s for me.

The Poetry Friday roundup is being hosted by Karissa at the Iris Chronicles. Head on over and see the poetry joy.

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Punxatawney Phil Sees His Shadow - a Groundhog Day poem

2012-02-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

Punxatawney Phil Sees His Shadow
by
Greg Pincus

You say “Boo! More snow and gloom.”
But me? I think it’s cool -
More winter means that there’s more chance
Of a snow day off from school!

And a Happy Groundhog Day to you all, whether you're for or against the predicted six more weeks o' winter.

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Three Fabulous Things

2012-02-02T09:20:00.000-08:00

Are you a teacher or librarian and want to have a free Skype visit from an LA-area YA author? Good! Because you have a chance to win a visit as long as you're outside Los Angeles county. There are eight wonderful authors joining in to help celebrate YALSA's teen tech week, and that means eight visits are available. Good luck!

Fab thing two: my friend Danny Rubin, the screenwriter of Groundhog Day, has a really wonderful new eBook out. It's called How To Write Groundhog Day, and I think it's a great read for any writer. Yes, some of it is Hollywood specific, but Danny breaks down the process of turning a concept into something as, well, as fantastic as Groundhog Day in a way I really haven't seen before. Plus, he's funny! I highly recommend it.

And fab thing three is this interview with David L. Harrison (a 30 Poets/30 Days contributor, I quickly add). For those who wear many hats or have many passions - teaching, writing, music, business, whatever - the way he explains how things intertwined for him is really fascinating.

Twitter Classes, I Say!

2012-02-01T16:55:00.000-08:00

Wearing my social media consultant hat for a moment here... I've just started offering Twitter classes for small groups (in person or via Skype).

That link will take you to all the information, or feel free to email me.. And I'll see you on Twitter!

Can You Hear the Voices - a mysterious poem

2012-01-30T00:30:00.000-08:00

Can You Hear the Voices?
by
Greg Pincus

Can you hear the voices floating on the air?
They carry the wishes
Of birds, plants and fishes
And words of each animal prayer.

Can you hear the voices floating on the air?
They whisper and moan.
They howl and groan
And have secrets they’re longing to share.

Can you hear the voices floating on the air?
Nah.
Me neither.
But that doesn’t mean they’re not there.

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Whipped Cream - a food poem/a dessert poem

2012-01-27T00:06:00.000-08:00

Whipped Cream
by
Greg Pincus

Whipped cream!
Whipped cream!
My, oh, my!
Pile it, pile it, pile it high.
In blobby mounds or nice and swirled,
I don’t care, it rocks my world.
It’s great on cookies, pie and cake,
And high atop a creamy shake.
Pudding gets a lot more dreamy
Topped with something whipped and creamy.
Yummy on banana splits
In fact, I have to say that it’s
The perfect food, without debate.
Yes, give me whipped cream on my plate!

The Poetry Friday Roundup is over at Hey, Jim Hill! (which is, unsurprisingly, the blog of author Jim Hill). Check it out, and then have a little whipped cream for yourself.

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I'm Great at Dodging Raindrops - a rainy day poem

2012-01-26T00:07:00.000-08:00

I'm Great at Dodging Raindrops
by
Greg Pincus

I’m great at dodging raindrops.
I love it when it pours.
So when it started raining here,
I hurried straight outdoors.
I must have dodged five thousand drops!
Oh, sure... I’m soaking wet.
But I didn’t try to dodge them all.
I’m not quite that good.
Yet.

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An Interview with Author Eve Yohalem About Platform, Self-Pubbing and More

2012-01-25T17:33:00.000-08:00

Over at The Happy Accident, I have an interview with fellow children's book author Eve Yohalem. Eve's been published by Chronicle and has a book of short stories out that she published independently. In the interview, we talk more about creating a platform and how Eve worked hard to create something that fits HER.

I think this is really critical - we always hear "you gotta do this" or "do that!" but the reality is that each of us has different comfort levels, time available, and goals. I like the way Eve experimented to help herself, too. I hope you'll check out the interview.

For more children's lit related interviews, check out the Interview Wednesday roundup over at the Teaching Authors blog.

Why I Didn't Turn In My Homework - a school poem/an excuse poem

2012-01-24T17:07:00.000-08:00

Why I Didn’t Turn In My Homework
by
Greg Pincus

I left it at home.
It made me weep.
I did other work.
I fell asleep.

I must’ve lost it.
I did it last week!
What? There was homework?
To me it was Greek.

My printer was dead.
I don’t understand what it’s supposed to teach me and that wasn’t explained and I don’t learn anything when you give me a number grade or a check mark with no explanation of how to get better so the homework is a waste of my time and I didn’t do it because I hate it.
It’s not due tomorrow?
My doggie ate it.

Today's poem was inspired by the poetry prompt over at The Miss Rumphius Effect. It might've also been inspired by some real-life observation, too, and it's quite clearly from a student POV!

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My Favorite Shirt - a poem

2012-01-20T00:12:00.000-08:00

My Favorite Shirt
by
Greg Pincus

This shirt is great - the best I’ve worn.
Who cares if it’s all frayed and torn
Or that it’s old, and I’ve been growing
And when I stretch my belly’s showing?
The words it showed in blue and red
Are gone (though I know what they said).
I know it’s stained. That’s good for me:
Each splotch contains a memory.
I love this shirt with all my heart.
I’ll wear it 'til it falls apart.
So wash it, please, with love and caring...
To make it last for one more wearing.

The Poetry Friday roundup is up over at the Wild Rose Reader. Check it out (and you might want to check out Elaine's whole blog while you're there, too, if you're a poetry fan). And those of you who know me and are gonna ask... no, I can't pick just ONE favorite shirt of my own.

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Laurel Snyder on Skype

2012-01-19T12:54:00.000-08:00

Over at The Happy Accident, I have an interview with author Laurel Snyder about her doing 100 Skype class visits in 100 Days. If you've ever thought about Skype visits or wondered about them or had a nutty idea like 100 in 100... you oughta go read it. And if you haven't... well, I still encourage you to go read it - Laurel's answers to my questions are really fabulous.

Commenting about Commenting

2012-01-16T11:20:00.000-08:00

Over on my other blog, The Happy Accident, I have a post up talking about both creating comment-worthy comment AND the "art" of adding comments, too. There's a fine conversation going on in, you guessed it, the comments of the post.

I'd love you to head on over and add your thoughts, too.

A Message from Saturday the 14th - a non-holiday poem

2012-01-14T00:04:00.000-08:00

A Message from Saturday the 14th
by
Greg Pincus

You see? You’re still here.
There was nothing to fear.
The 13th is a terrible tease.

And me? I’ve been waiting,
Anticipating...
Relaxed as a bird on the breeze.

I know I could mention
I get no attention,
Yet truly, it doesn’t annoy me.

And so I just say,
“I’m a fabulous day.
Don’t waste me, my friends. Enjoy me!”

I was gonna dazzle y'all with a fancy word for the fear of the number 14 instead of the standard triskaidekaphobia comment... but it turns out there isn't a real term. Man, the 13th really does get all the attention. So unfair....

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The Evolution of the Toilet (A Brief History) - a poem

2012-01-13T00:03:00.000-08:00

The Evolution of the Toilet (A Brief History)
by
Greg Pincus

Hole.
Bowl.

Oh, come on now... you didn't really expect every one of my poems to be all empowering and stuff like the last one, did you? :-) Since writing this poem, I've actually had a lot of fun with the whole "a brief history" concept, using it as a writing exercise/prompt for myself. Perhaps you'll see more some time in the future. Or, you know, I could flush the whole idea....

This week's Poetry Friday roundup is up over at A Teaching Life. Head on over and check it out (and maybe there'll be other history lessons, too. You just never know....)

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How to Keep a Poetry Lover Up Late

2012-01-11T18:01:00.000-08:00

I just got a copy of Lewis Turco's revised and expanded editions of The Book of Forms. It includes odd and invented forms (including me and The Fib on page 214!), and, I gotta say I could read it all night long.

So many forms, so little time!

Anyone have a favorite quirky form? Feel free to leave it in the comments or send me off to it in the Book of Forms itself. So many of these I'd never heard of, and I'm sure I'm missing some great ones.

Doesn't this seem like a picture book waiting to happen?

2012-01-08T14:50:00.000-08:00

I just saw this story of a man whose slipper order came in size 1450 instead of 14.50 (whoever it was who shared it recently on Facebook, thank you), and it struck me that it's like a mix of Clifford and Where the Wild Things Are and... oh, I dunno. It just made me smile, I guess.

Regardless, that's one big slipper!

Instructions for Helping the World

2012-01-06T01:04:00.000-08:00

Instructions for Helping the World
by
Greg Pincus

Write a poem.
Work with clay.
Draw or paint a day away.
Knit or dance.
Make a song.
Film a movie all night long.
Use your hands,
Brain and heart.
Live! Create!
Go make some art.

I had so many different titles for this one that I think they could make a "list" poem all by themselves.... To see how others are kicking off this year in poetry, head on over to Teaching Authors for the first Poetry Friday roundup of the year.

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The Cybils and Walter Dean Myers

2012-01-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

I'll add my voice to the cheering chorus about the selection of Walter Dean Myers as the new National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. He's a fantastic choice. (And hey, he's even been to GottaBook as part of 30 Poets/30 Days!)

Not enough children's literature related excitement for you? Well, then, the Cybils finalists have been announced. Fantastic books in there in all sorts of categories (and good apps, too), and I'm actually quite relieved not to be a judge this year having to make final decisions.

Good ways to kick off the new year, indeed....

How to Keep One New Year's Resolution - a new year's poem/a resolution poem

2012-01-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

How to Keep One New Year’s Resolution
by
Greg Pincus

Here’s my resolution trick:
Resolve to break one really quick.
That way when the “break” is done,
You’re guaranteed of keeping one.

Happy New Year! May you keep all your resolutions (unless, of course, you resolve to break one, in which case you'll either break that resolution or another one or... oh... never mind.).

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December 31st (Looking Back) - an end of the year poem/a New Year's poem

2011-12-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

December 31st (Looking Back)
by
Greg Pincus

The year’s near done. Let’s review:
Resolutions? Kept a few.
Top 10 goals? I reached two.
School and chores? At least they’re through.
Learned to drum. Tried kung fu.
Wrote and sang and read and drew.
Food I’ve tried? A list that grew!
Had a crush, but won’t say who.
Played with friends (including you).
Failed a lot as this year flew.
Tonight one year will say “adieu.”
Tomorrow, we can start anew...
But looking back, this much is true:
I tried my best, and that'll do.

Thanks to all of you for being part of the year here at GottaBook. I wish you all a new year filled with health, joy, and juuuust enough of the dessert of your choice.

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